Mother charged after sending photos of baby's head in plastic bag, prosecutors say

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A Humble mother has been barred from seeing her 1-year-old son and is facing charges after apparently photographing herself putting a plastic bag over the child's head and putting the bag in his mouth.

Janelle Andrea Peterkin, 23, appeared in court Monday before state District Judge George Powell on a charge of child endangerment where prosecutors said she was caught on video abusing the child. She was arrested Thursday.

Prosecutors said she took photos and video of herself in a car about a month ago with the boy's head in a plastic bag to upset the child's father.

"She sent the pictures to her ex-boyfriend to disturb him," prosecutors said Friday.

A protective order filed in the case prohibits Peterkin from seeing her child or going near the residence where he is now.

The video may be disturbing to some viewers. Story continues below.

Janelle Andrea Peterkin, 23, appeared in court Monday before state District Judge George Powell on a charge of child endangerment where prosecutors said she was caught on video abusing the child. The child's face has been obscured in this video.

Media: Chron.com

Peterkin, who is free on $15,000 bail, did not answer questions as she left court.

The video came to light after a family member, Ra'Neicha Broadnax of Richmond, Va., posted it on Facebook.

Broadnax, the sister of the baby's father, said she posted it after calling the Humble Police Department to report it and being told she had called the wrong department.

Her impression, Broadnax said, was that she was being told there was nothing the department could do about it. That is not the case, however, said Capt. Melinda Bradshaw of the Humble Police Department.

The case was not in Humble but in Harris County, under the jurisdiction of the Precinct 4 constable's office, Bradshaw said.

"When she originally called us, she did not have an address," Bradshaw said. "We came up with an address based on the last name. We promptly contacted Precinct 4 and gave them the information. We can't investigate something in somebody else's jurisdiction."